Nathan Bogle’s B.S.-free Style

Being in the fashion world doesn’t make one of the fashion world. Just ask Nathan Bogle—former male model and cofounder of upscale-yet-edgy line Rag & Bone. Sound lofty? Bogle is not. He’s just a British bloke who decided to make the clothes he couldn’t find and hates the term “metrosexual” (rightly so). We caught up with Bogle, who’s been busy launching his polished, grown-up solo line Jardine, to get his POV on menswear and why guys need to know they can (and should) care about what they wear without sacrificing their manhood. Read and learn…

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Some clown came up with the revolting [term] “metrosexual” and projected it onto men who were able to cook a meal or buy trousers that fit them. And somehow that was deemed effeminate. Which I think is crap.

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MADE MAN: What trends are you seeing right now and what’s coming up for the spring?NATHAN BOGLE: Overcoats and knitwear suits seem to be pretty heavy right now. For spring, there’s a mix of performance fabrics found in active wear mixed with contemporary design. Calvin [Klein] does well with finding that nice blend of those kind of fabrics with everyday sportswear. And denim is coming back to classic styles with more dark hues and indigos, and less of those bright colors.

MM: What does your style say about you?NB:I don’t even think about [my style] that way. I generally wear a lot of black, but not for any particular reason or any kind of negative state of mind. I tend to not want to stand out with what I wear but still want something interesting looking. The style of Jardine is like that—contemporary and classic with a twist. There’s enough of something different in there, but not enough that it scares guys. It’s familiar but there’s something fashion-y to it.

MM: What are three things every man should have in his closet?NB: A decent suit, a leather jacket, and a pair of well-fitting jeans. Not tight-fitting, but the right fit.

Sweet duds by Jardine, beheadings by photo editor.

MM: What do you think style says about men in general today versus in the past decade?NB:A decade ago, some clown came up with the revolting [term] “metrosexual” and projected it onto men who were able to cook a meal or buy trousers that fit them. And somehow that was deemed effeminate. Which I think is crap. I think nowadays there are a lot of fantastic brands out there, there are a lot of options and there’s a lot of attention of men’s brands both high end and at the other end of the scale. It’s nice, it feels easier. And less kind of restricted by some sort of social judgement.

MM: What trends are emerging in the way men are shopping and styling themselves?NB:The customization and personalization of products and [the shopping] experience as a whole is starting to grow a lot, both online and in stores. And so is e-com. Men are creatures of habit—if they find something they like they’ll often just go on and buy the same thing for years. The brands that are capturing that side of things, plus using their own platforms to target guys through e-com are not only benefiting themselves in terms of business, but I also think guys like that way of shopping.

MM: What are you most excited about from a style perspective?NB: The death of heritage (laughs). Though actually, I think it’s so played out. I’m excited about a more contemporary, modern palette and aesthetic coming in to play.